Since early October, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been assisting over 13,000 households with temporary housing through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program. This initiative, primarily providing hotel accommodations, was launched to support residents facing uncertain housing conditions after Tropical Storm Helene struck the region on September 27.
On January 17, Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards announced that FEMA would issue a 21-day notice to vacate for individuals displaced by Helene who are no longer eligible for the program. Edwards criticized the federal government’s handling of the situation, stating, “Many Western North Carolinians relying on FEMA’s hotel program don’t have a home to go back to, and it is inhumane to expect these folks to leave the only safe and warm shelter available with only a few days or a week’s notice. The victims of Helene deserve better from the federal government.”
The TSA program, which began on October 3, is set to continue in Western North Carolina (WNC) until March 28, approximately 180 days after the storm. Here’s an overview of the program, its key dates, and its current status.
### What is FEMA’s TSA Program?
FEMA’s TSA program is activated at the request of a state following a natural disaster. It provides short-term housing assistance, primarily in the form of hotel accommodations, for displaced residents. In WNC, the program was initiated just days after Tropical Storm Helene, covering 25 counties in North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Eligible residents could apply for assistance and locate participating hotels using their FEMA registration number through [FEMA’s emergency hotel website](https://www.femaemergencyhotels.com/).
Under the program, FEMA directly covers the cost of rooms, taxes, and pet fees for participating hotels and motels.
### How Many People Are Still Using TSA Hotels?
Since the program’s inception, it has supported 13,075 households, according to FEMA. As of January 16, 2,797 households remained in the program. Earlier in the month, over 5,700 households were still participating, meaning approximately 3,000 households exited the program between January 3 and January 16.
When asked why so many residents left the program within this timeframe, FEMA referred inquiries to TSA eligibility guidelines.
### Who Is Eligible for the TSA Program?
FEMA determines eligibility for the TSA program based on specific criteria. Households must meet one of the following conditions to remain eligible:
– Have requested and received rental assistance.
– Were not homeless prior to the disaster.
– Have homes deemed safe and accessible.
– Have not withdrawn from FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.
FEMA previously reported that 1,400 individuals were deemed ineligible because their homes were now considered occupiable. Another 1,600 could not be reached after multiple attempts, resulting in their ineligibility.
### Pre-Disaster Homeless Individuals No Longer Eligible
During a January 15 media briefing, Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder confirmed that individuals who were homeless before the disaster are no longer eligible for TSA assistance. In Buncombe County, 39 individuals who were previously homeless had their hotel stays end on January 14.
“People staying in hotels under TSA undergo eligibility reviews to determine if they can safely return to their home,” Pinder explained. “Transitional Sheltering Assistance will end only for families who are no longer eligible.”
### How Is Eligibility Determined?
FEMA conducts household eligibility reviews based on inspections of homes damaged or deemed uninhabitable due to Tropical Storm Helene. The next eligibility review is scheduled for January 17, with those found ineligible required to vacate their hotels by January 25. These reviews will continue every two weeks until the program concludes on March 28.
### Can You Still Apply for the TSA Program?
No, the TSA program is no longer accepting new applicants. However, eligible survivors already enrolled in the program may continue staying in participating hotels across several states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia.
### How Long Will the Program Run?
Initially slated to end on March 28, the TSA program has been extended by FEMA until May 26, 2025, following advocacy from North Carolina Governor Josh Stein. Stein described the extension as a “positive step forward” that alleviates immediate concerns about eviction for disaster survivors.
FEMA spokespersons have confirmed that eligibility reviews will continue biweekly until the program’s conclusion. Governor Stein has also pushed for the program to be extended further, until September 30, 2025, more than a year after the storm.
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**More Information:**
– [3,500 WNC households deemed ineligible for Helene FEMA hotels; residents rush for housing](https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2025/01/10/fema-to-evict-3500-nc-households-from-helene-hotel-voucher-program/77483037007/)
– [As 12,000 remain displaced from Helene, campers become homes. The problem is keeping them warm](https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2025/01/13/wnc-residents-displaced-by-helene-turn-to-campers-as-housing/77574924007/)
*Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com. Support this type of journalism by subscribing to the Citizen Times.*
Source: citizen-times.com